Guinness chocolate cupcakes

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we could all use a bit o’ Guinness.

Even if you’re not a big fan of beer, like me, you’ll love these cupcakes. The Guinness is sort of like coffee — it just enhances the chocolate flavor. The basic idea for this recipe is all over the Internet, and I’m adding my own two cents with a special frosting.

Guinness chocolate cupcakes
Makes 12
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup of Guinness
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup sour cream
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin tins or fill with paper liners.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add Guinness and bring to simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa powder. One by one, beat in brown sugar, vanilla, sour cream, egg and egg yolk. Beat until smooth.

In separate bowl, sift together flour, white sugar, baking soda and salt. Dump flour mixture into wet ingredients and fold together until just combined.

Using 1/4 cup measure, fill muffin tins 3/4 of the way with batter. Bake 12 minutes. Rotate baking sheet, and bake another 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Once cupcakes are cool, use apple corer to hollow out their centers and fill with chocolate ganache.

You don’t have to do this part. Just keep in mind that removing the centers gives you an opportunity to sample the plain cake before it gets all dolled up. Plus, who wouldn’t want MORE chocolate in their cupcake?

Chocolate ganache
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Irish whiskey (optional)

Coarsely chop the chocolate and place in heat-proof bowl.

In saucepan, bring cream to simmer over medium-low heat. Pour cream over chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is shiny and smooth. Stir in butter.

Let ganache cool slightly, then scoop into piping bag (or plastic kitchen bag with snipped corner). Pipe ganache into cupcake centers.

Hint of mint cream cheese frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
1-2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Green food coloring (optional)

With electric mixer, beat cream cheese until soft and fluffy. With mixer on, slowly pour in cream. Add mint extract. With mixer still on, add confectioners sugar in 1/4-cup increments, until frosting reaches desired consistency and sweetness. Add 2 drops of food coloring for hint of green color. Use piping bag or offset spatula to frost cupcakes.